From Thief to Aspiring Knight
by Hecoand
Summary: A young thief attempts to steal from the local lord's House. From this act, a meeting that will forever change his life occurs.


A quiet step into a fancy Manor, quick steps around the guards. Nobles weren't very bright with their defenses of their home, always one tiny hole in which to sneak pass through these fancy wall of greenery. All of theses were enough for a small boy to maneuver around and right into the Noble's property. The main obstacle soon came upon the small slither, a big double layered window. With a quick ruffle in his pocket, the silver headed boy took out a rusted key, putting in the clearly unfitting slot under the window handle.

"C'mon don't fail me now rusty…" the boy silently whispered, and if by some sort of divine blessing, the glass opened with a unheard click, a smile lighting up the locksmith's face. With a quick fist bump to himself, he climbed into the rich Manor, landing on some elaborated flooring, soft and comfortable. A stark contrast to the rugged and harsh city grounds. Quickly looking around, the boy searched for something to keep as a "souvenir" from his visit into this manor.

His tiny emeralds eyes looked around for a while, but landed on a single book laying on the fancy central table, a empty dish sitting next to it. It looked valuable, the cover a pleasing blue with the spine of it a nice contrasting red. The boy quickly moved to lay his eyes upon it, almost gasping in awe at the image on the cover. There stood a silver Knight, broadly brandishing his swords high up in the air, his azure shield decorated with a golden lion head. At his side stood a fair maiden, almost ghastly in appearance as if wind itself covered her. It was an amazing cover, enough for the boy to softly slide his tiny fingers upon the outlines. His tiny hand grabbed the handle, thinking that this would sell for a prett-

It didn't go far, as a wrinkled hand close itself around the thief's wrist. With a scared cry, the ashen haired boy looked up at the hand's owner. A tall man with a white mustache and white hair looked down at the boy, wearing glasses and holding a cup of tea in his other hand. His glare froze the boy's blood solid, his heart beating faster and faster.

"by the goddess… how did you even get in here? No matter, I should hand you over to the authorities."

The noble said with a grumble, yet his eyes didn't look extremely glad about the outcome. The thief didn't care about that however, he shook and tried to free his hand from the Noble's grasp. As his hope of escape start to dwindle, he falls on his knees, tears falling down his cheeks softly.

"P-Please let me go! I can't leave my younger brother and sister alone in the streets! I am sorry I won't come back!"

He begged the man tirelessly, hiccuping loudly as he cried harder than he have ever cried before.

"brother and sister in the streets? That's…" The man grabbed his book quickly, and put it in the arms of the small thief. He dug his hand into his pants and took out a handful of gold coins. "here you go child. Take the book and read a nice story to your siblings."

He said softly, the crying thief looked up at the old noble, sniffling still. He looked down at the money and book, lips still quivering.

"I… I don't know how to read."

The words escaping the intruder shocked the glass wearing noble, whom took them off and uncliped the chains the glasses were holding on his shoulder to keep steady.

"this is maddening. How old are you boy? Where are your parents? Do you have a name?"

The questions were scary to shaking thief. Clutching the book like a doll, with his fingers scratching on the surface were already enough for the man to get up and sigh.

" Ashe is my name…i think I am 10 years old? I don't know the moon we are in. Nor the day. I just want to help my siblings… Instead of my parents… Ghosts can't do it."

he said confidently, looking up at the noble once more with as much vigor as sadness, eyes still shimmering with tears in the making. Yet looking into the boy's eyes made the Lord shake his head in disappointment of the world they lived in.

"To think this was happening… I cannot tolerate it. Ashe was it? Lead me to your siblings." the noble stated quickly, putting on his overcoat and a brown cap beret to protect himself from the rain. The boy wasn't sure to trust the man, but nodded and started to climb out of the window he came from. To his surprise, the noble did the same, even following him over the made up wall of bushes with a grunt, mumbling something about being too old for this. It took only 10 minutes, but Ashe led the noble to a small alcove behind an Inn. Two small bodies cuddled up in a torn bed sheet, shivering as Ashe bent down to them, attempting to light a fire on some ripped newspapers and wood. "ashe.. Who is this mister?" the girl asked, looking to be a year younger than ashe. She was cuddling a smaller boy, who looked terrified at the imposing noble. Ashe was about to reply, but never did ask for the man's name.

"I am Lonato. And you three are my children now. Pack up your things and follow me."

He said in a warm elderly voice, going down on his knees to stretch his arms towards the smallest child. As he does so, he takes off his coat and puts it over Ashe's shoulder, softly pushing him next to his sister so they could share it. Lonato soon noticed that the girl wasn't giving him the youngest child.

"Put him in my arms young girl. I will cover him from the rain. You and Ashe can share my coat on the way to my manor."

He said softly, determined to help the childrens. Ashe nodded to his younger sister, whom softly put down the child upon the Noble's arms. Lonato took off his cap and put it upon the baby's head to protect him from the rain. He got up quickly and bent forward to shield the rest of the kid's body from the downpour, uncaring of his old body getting assaulted by the water instead.

"Ashe…? Are we getting a home?" the young girl asked her brother, whom held her steady since she wasn't used to walking out of the alcove. The thief looked up at the elder main in the rain, not even fazed by the looks of classy dressed nobles scoffing at his actions. Even as one nobles openly insult him.

"My oh My Lonato. Lowering yourself to commoners? Are they even crested? I assume not. You truly are a sorry excuse for a noble lord." the man chuckled at the dripping face of the old shivering lord, whom just stay silent as he keeps on being insulted.

"well I rather die as a excuse of a noble, than a excuse of a human being." Lonato replies as he moves out of the Noble's way, continuing his road back home. And he finally arrives, his guards dumbfounded to see he had left without them noticing.

Ashe followed suit and entered the Manor once more, letting his sister getting help by a tall young man with brown hair and deep emerald eyes like Lonato. As the Lord hangs his cap on the door, he looks at the new face with a smile.

"Theses are your new brothers and sister Christophe. Can you show theses two to their room? I desire to speak to Ashe for a bit." He says with a raspy chuckle, Christophe nodding and making faces at the youngest to make him laugh. With success too.

"well… Welcome home Ashe."

Is what the young boy hears next. Lonato sitting down on his chair, book on the table next to a warm meal. Lonato gently taps on the side of another chair, and Ashe barely is able to totally understand what is happening. Thirty minutes ago, he was shivering and trying to break open into this man's house. And now he was jumping onto a chair, the smell of a warm meal tickling his nose. He can't help but cry as he eats the delicious food, a gentle hand patting his head as Lonato put the book down and tap on the title.

"Loog and the maiden of winds. That is the title. Now repeat after me. I will make sure you can enjoy this book as much as I can young one. It's family tradition to love it after all!"

Lonato laughs as he says so, Ashe smiling widely at the man who saved him from the cold embrace of the streets. And it's then that he knew what he wanted to be in life. A knight that protects and saves others.

"Here lies Lonato. Perished in Magdred way in a attempt of foolish rebellion on imperial year 1180."

A grown up ashen haired archer read, next to a Bulky old knight with scars on his face.

"See? I can read just fine. And that's my story with Lord Lonato. So please Sir Gwendal, allow me to fight in the name of house Rowe. I know I can be of used. I want to serve a friend of my father." Ashe said seriously, looking towards the church with a dark frown.

"Sure kid. But you better not die out there. I didn't know Lonato for long, but we still shared drinks. He's proud of you I can tell ya." The gruff man said, leaving the boy alone in the Graveyard, softly rubbing off dirt from Lonato's grave.

"on my honor as a knight of house Rowe. I will protect Farghus."


End file.
